Violence between people who live together can be extremely difficult to deal with and has unique legal ramifications. Roommate violence differs from domestic violence while seemingly being very similar, but a skilled domestic violence attorney may be able to help you separate one from the other. Call a Mecklenburg County roommate violence lawyer to learn more about how an attorney may be able to help you. Let a seasoned legal professional advocate for you.
Roommates are individuals who cohabitate a living space, and when relations between them turn violent, it can sometimes be considered domestic violence in the state of Virginia. Roommate violence exists when there is any unwanted physical conduct between any two people who live together but are not family or in a relationship.
When those two people fall under the definition of a family member in the Code of Virginia, whether that is cohabitation with a romantic partner or blood relationship including grandparents, parents, siblings, or children, that constitutes domestic violence. When two people who live together engage in violence but they are not otherwise related or in a relationship, that is considered roommate violence and not domestic violence.
Roommate violence that rises to the level of domestic violence is treated just like any other charge of violence between two people, such as assault and battery between two strangers. As such, it might cover a broad range of possible criminal conduct that would not usually be heard in domestic relations courts, but rather, general criminal court.
If a person has been charged with violence against someone they cohabitate a domicile with, it is important they consider contacting an attorney as soon as possible. A roommate violence lawyer in Mecklenburg County should be experienced and familiar with aspects of those laws and will be prepared to defend accused individuals.
The most serious immediate consequence of being charged with roommate violence is that a protective order likely will be put in place for at least 72 hours. This means that after the charge has been leveled, the defendant must find another place to stay for the duration of the protective order and possibly for the duration of their case. This can be expensive, inconvenient, and troublesome as a protective order dictates that they cannot have any kind of contact with the alleged victim, and they may not return to the residence they shared.
Depending on the circumstance of the roommate-violence conviction, it could mean that the individual is not able to legally own a gun. They may also have to find a new place of residence, make careful arrangements to retrieve and move their personal property from the original residence, and they may not be allowed to have any contact whatsoever with their former roommate.
The most important thing to do if you have been accused of roommate violence is to contact a local criminal attorney immediately, provide them with a full accounting of the incident, all relevant information, and a full explanation of how they came to be falsely accused. From that, a Mecklenburg County roommate violence lawyer could help you craft an effective criminal defense. Call a lawyer immediately to schedule a consultation on your impending case.
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